naalʼaʼ
Navajo
Etymology
na- (atelic, circuital) + -Ø- (3rd person subject prefix) + -l- (classifier, mediopassive) + -ʼaʼ (continuative imperfective stem of root -ʼAʼ, “to send, to order”).
Verb
naalʼaʼ
- he/she is a servant or a slave (taking orders or running errands for someone else)
Conjugation
Paradigm: Continuative (Ø/si).
| IMPERFECTIVE | singular | duoplural | plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | naashʼaʼ | neiilʼaʼ | nideiilʼaʼ |
| 2nd person | nanilʼaʼ | naołʼaʼ | nidaałʼaʼ |
| 3rd person | naalʼaʼ | nidaalʼaʼ | |
| 4th person | nijilʼaʼ | nidajilʼaʼ | |
| PERFECTIVE | singular | duoplural | plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | nisisʼaʼ | nisiilʼaʼ | nidasiilʼaʼ |
| 2nd person | nisínílʼaʼ | nisoołʼaʼ | nidasoołʼaʼ |
| 3rd person | naasʼaʼ | nidaasʼaʼ | |
| 4th person | nijisʼaʼ | nidajisʼaʼ | |
| FUTURE | singular | duoplural | plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st person | ndeeshʼaał | ndiilʼaał | ndadiilʼaał |
| 2nd person | ndíílʼaał | ndoołʼaał | ndadoołʼaał |
| 3rd person | ndoolʼaał | ndadoolʼaał | |
| 4th person | nizhdoolʼaał | ndazhdoolʼaał | |
Related terms
- neiłʼaʼ (“to send him on errands”)